What inspired your interest in biotechnology?
I have been interested in genetics ever since taking Biology in school. I knew I didn't want to be a medical Doctor, but I wanted to be in the medical world. Biotechnology is new and upcoming and there are so many new discoveries on the horizon; therefore, I knew I would always be stimulated in my work.

What attracted you to an internship at Genentech?
I have a good family friend who works for Genentech, and I had heard a lot of good things about it from him. Also, everything I have read about working for Genentech has been positive, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it.

Share your experience on the company culture at Genentech.
I have never met more people who are as passionate about their jobs as the people at Genentech. They tell you this during orientation, but you don't really believe it until you see it first hand. I certainly have experienced this through my countless informational interviews, and it makes me want to be part of the company even more.

So far, what has been the highlight of your internship experience?
The highlight of my internship experience has been having the opportunity to speak with so many brilliant and motivated people who were happy to tell me what they do for the company and how they got where they are today. Almost everyone was interested in what I was doing and wanted to stay in touch.

What inspired your interest in biotechnology?
Having the opportunity to help improve the quality of a person's life is amazing, and Biotechnology gives me that chance. My mother and grandfather have both suffered from forms of cancer, and even though Engineers play a supportive role in Biotechnology, it is vital to ensure that the manufacturing and quality of a product continues on.

What attracted you to an internship at Genentech?
The name says it all, "Genentech". It represents a commitment to excellence as they continue to raise the bar of standards in Biotechnology. To be a part of a team that puts their patients first is wonderful. An internship at Genentech is a great way to build a strong foundation for my career while helping to improve lives.

Share your experience on the company culture at Genentech.
Genentech's culture is one of a kind. Everyone is very friendly and extremely helpful. Since I have been here I have received a great deal of knowledge and guidance. There is a feeling of home because everyone is working together to accomplish the same goals.

So far, what has been the highlight of your internship experience?
The first day in my department I was given an important project. I was able to dive right in and begin contributing. Through the various stages of my project, I have been able to meet and collaborate with many people in different departments. It has allowed me to see where my work fits in the overall plan for the Vacaville campus. The amount of responsibility given to me during my internship has helped me grow personally and professionally.

What inspired your interest in biotechnology?
I don't have a science background, but I do know that companies like Genentech — the ones that apply cutting-edge technologies and unparalleled passion to finding cures for diseases with significant unmet needs — will make some of the biggest differences in peoples' lives. I wanted to work in an industry that defies expectations and does things no one thought possible.

What attracted you to an internship at Genentech?
My dad has macular degeneration in one eye and I knew that Genentech had been the most successful in efforts to find a cure with Lucentis. This drug is indicative of what Genentech is about, meeting significant unmet medical needs. I wanted my internship be at a place where I could proudly speak of its products and make a significant impact towards helping people get the drugs they need.

Share your experience on the company culture at Genentech.
Two characteristics come to mind: pride and hard work. People take a lot of pride in the culture at Genentech and work hard to preserve it. Pride comes from the fact that Genentech recognizes and values differences while creating pathways for all to have opportunities for success. Hard work comes from the fact that it's not easy to maintain a culture that was developed by Genentech's two co-founders, Bob Swanson and Herb Boyer, over thirty years and eleven thousand employees ago, yet remains intact today.

So far, what has been the highlight of your internship experience?
I've met with over thirty people across different brands and functions — no one has turned down a request for their time. I've asked questions about everything from the future of Genentech to the future of healthcare, from drug pricing to patient access, and what seems like everything else in between. What I've gotten in return are passionate, honest responses and great debates that have continued to shape my perspective and thoughts about the current and potential impact of the healthcare industry.

What inspired your interest in biotechnology?
I'm pre-med, so I've always wanted a career involved with saving lives, and outside of medicine I don't see a more productive career than making the drugs that doctors use to save lives.

What attracted you to an internship at Genentech?
Outside of the fact that it is the premier biotech company in the world, my neighbor works here and got me interested in Genentech from a relatively young age. Also, more recently my grandfather was accepted into the clinical trial for Lucentis, so I was compelled to work for the company that is fighting to save his sight.

Share your experience on the company culture at Genentech.
People are so willing to help each other, and the benefits that the company offers are so generous that I don't want to imagine having to work anywhere else in the future.

So far, what has been the highlight of your internship experience?
I got to do molecular size distribution chromatography on DNase (Pulmozyme) in order to identify the source of aggregate in the production process. The process was quite overwhelming. Thankfully, my supervisor and others in MSAT were willing to help and teach me, and I picked everything up quickly. On top of the obvious thrill of working with actual product, the project was also one of the best learning experiences I've ever had.

What inspired your interest in biotechnology?
The fast pace and vast opportunities for intellectual creativity first sparked my interest in the world of biotechnology. But it's the humanitarian aspect, knowing that I am doing work that will save or improve other's lives, that keeps me here, rather than in other fields of technology.

What attracted you to an internship at Genentech?
Everything about Genentech attracted me to their internship program. The culture, the research, the people, the whole environment. I know that this opportunity will open many doors for me in the future that wouldn't have been opened coming from somewhere else.

Share your experience on the company culture at Genentech.
Genentech may be a big name and a big company, but it also has a big heart, and it makes you want to come to work every day. The environment here is extremely open, friendly, and flexible. I have made great friends with other interns and coworkers. It's rare to find a place where even the high-ups who run labs and entire departments want to get to know you.

So far, what has been the highlight of your internship experience?
The highlight of my internship experience has been the research itself. This experience has made me certain that I would be happy doing this kind of work for the rest of my life. Genentech did that by giving my own project, providing me with a supportive environment, and giving me all the materials I need to start making myself into a great scientist.

What inspired your interest in biotechnology?
Science is the driving force in my life, so once I had taken classes in college about molecular biology and biochemistry, I knew that biotechnology was for me. Just the thought that I could help make drugs to save peoples lives was astounding.

What attracted you to an internship at Genentech?
Not only was Genentech the best company to work for in the Biotech industry, but it had the values and cultural diversity that made me excited to join the corporation.

Share your experience on the company culture at Genentech.
The company culture at Genentech is very diverse which brings a wide plethora of ideas and knowledge circulating in the company. Everyone at the company has a very positive personality, helping their coworkers accomplish the same goal, which is to save patients lives. People are very open minded towards others and value different cultural experiences, which strengthens the company in the long run, building a fraternal workplace.

So far, what has been the highlight of your internship experience?
The highlight of my internship experience thus far is knowing each day I go to work I am helping save people's lives around the world. I also work with people that love to collaborate, and the atmosphere in the workplace is very positive and fast moving. Also, meeting a wide variety of individuals in the company has been a real honor, especially those on the executive committee.

What inspired your interest in biotechnology?
I am fascinated with and have the utmost respect for science, specifically biotechnology, but it is a complete mystery to me. That's why Genentech was a perfect fit. I would be able to grow and learn about the biotechnology while doing engineering work.

What attracted you to an internship at Genentech?
It was very clear that Genentech had everything I was looking for and more. Right from the start I was excited to learn that the patients come first. I love the idea that the work I would do is helping to better someone's life even if it is indirectly. That alone would've made me decide to work for Genentech over any other company I interviewed with, but it turns out Genentech offers even more than that.

Share your experience on the company culture at Genentech.
The company culture at Genentech is so different from every other engineering company that I interviewed with. Genentech is so laid back and open to ideas. I am not afraid to make a suggestion because I am confident that people will honestly listen to me even though I have not graduated from college yet. I am amazed at how eager everyone is to teach me. I can honestly say that I have learned more about engineering in the past few months at Genentech than I have in the past two years at school.

So far, what has been the highlight of your internship experience?
I do not have a highlight yet, so far I've just been having an all-around great experience.

What inspired your interest in biotechnology?
I find the science behind the disease fascinating. I'm not cut out to be a scientist, but having those minute yet powerful, healing molecular interactions as the backdrop for all the work that I do is inspiring.

What attracted you to an internship at Genentech?
Genentech's mission to address patient's unmet needs is extremely important to me. Having more than one family member die of cancer has reinforced how much more needs to be done for patients, not just in oncology, but in many other diseases as well. To even be a small part of what makes people's lives better, healthier, is an honor.

Share your experience on the company culture at Genentech.
After over a year of hearing about "casual intensity," it was nice to see what that means in real life. It means working with highly motivated, intelligent, and optimistic people who are driven to make an impact every day. What more could one ask for?!

So far, what has been the highlight of your internship experience?
The people. Everyone at Genentech seems excited to be here everyday and also seem to be excited that I'm here. I've had a chance to learn so much about Genentech, the industry, my brand, my project, because of the openness and enthusiasm everyone here has displayed in supporting me along the way.

What inspired your interest in biotechnology?
I have always been interested in medicine and public health. Since I am a chemical engineering student, I feel that biotechnology is the best pharmaceutical division to match my interests and educational background.

What attracted you to an internship at Genentech?
My first experience with Genentech was a Corporate Information Session at my university. I viewed one of the informational booklets from Genentech and I really loved the way that actual patients are included in the marketing campaign. Seeing the patients made me feel like the Genentech values are in line with mine.

Share your experience on the company culture at Genentech.
Genentech has been really welcoming and laid-back. Although the dress code is relaxed and general formalities are not really recognized, I still feel like the Genentech employees with whom I have interacted are all very intelligent and knowledgeable.

So far, what has been the highlight of your internship experience?
I have been learning a great deal from my manager. I have not taken any official chemical engineering courses yet, but rather than giving me menial tasks, he actually assigned me a challenging and relevant project. He has been really great about explaining everything to me and I can tell that he wants me to learn.

What inspired your interest in biotechnology?
I took graduate level courses in biotechnology and liked the subject to begin with and later as I started research in biotechnology, I realized that this is a field with huge potential for scientific research.

What attracted you to an internship at Genentech?
Genentech is a leader and a pioneer in biotechnology. As I intend to pursue a career in the biotech industry, Genentech was my first choice. I discussed my project and role during the internship during my interview and found myself interested in the work I was expected to do.

Share your experience on the company culture at Genentech.
I believe Genentech has a very open culture. I found that most people at Genentech are very inquisitive about science in general. The thing that impressed me the most about Genentech is the level of collaboration between different labs. Genentech also offers its scientists some flexibility to work on projects of their choice and encourages scientific publications.

So far, what has been the highlight of your internship experience?
I believe what I have learnt the most from Genentech's internship in addition to the science is the industrial work culture. Major highlight would be success in the project assigned. Some of my results would help to better understand the mechanism of protein aggregation and drug formulation.

What inspired your interest in biotechnology?
Ever since my first biology class in high school, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in the life sciences or medicine. In college I was torn between medicine and research, and although being a doctor would be very rewarding, I felt research contributing to new therapies and medicine would cure more patients at a time, as opposed to a doctor who can only help one patient at a time. I find human disease to be very interesting and troubling, and wanted to work towards understanding and curing them.

What attracted you to an internship at Genentech?
Genentech has solidified itself as a leader in the industry by introducing novel therapies and by extending our knowledge about life-threatening diseases. The company's focus on patients and its continual pumping of resources into R & D make it a very attractive and exciting company to work for. The rotational program, more specifically, is an invaluable experience for young individuals entering the industry in that they will be exposed to various departments in the company, giving them a better overview of how the different functions come together.

Share your experience on the company culture at Genentech.
It's very inspiring to see that the company is really patient driven; sure it's easy to claim that you are, but the company can actually back up its statements. This focus on patients is seen in the workers, and it is what fuels them to perform at the high standard that is required of them. I volunteered at the Strike Out Cancer baseball game this year, and it was so nice to see all the employees out there trying to raise money for a good cause and increase people's awareness; it proves that their passion goes beyond what is done in the workplace.

So far, what has been the highlight of your internship experience?
My highlight thus far is seeing how responsive Genentech employees are to meeting and speaking with me. The interns are able to attend executive lunch and learn which is a great opportunity to meet key leaders in the company. In addition to this, I have also signed up for VP lunches, and have just recently decided to email various individuals in the company to learn and hear what they do. I will get the chance to sit and talk with individuals ranging from the VP of Sales and Marketing to the Director of Development Project Management. I have just been amazed and thrilled by their willingness to take time out of their very busy schedules to meet with me.

What inspired your interest in biotechnology?
When I was in high school, I took an AP Biology class, and there was a unit on recombinant DNA technology. I found this concept fascinating. It seemed like such a simple process, but it had powerful implications.

What attracted you to an internship at Genentech?
I think the end to which Genentech applies the tools of biotechnology is a very worthy one. I thought that it would be very satisfying to know that I was a part of a company that contributes in a significant way to furthering the field of medicine, a field that I have always had great admiration for. I was not wrong.

Share your experience on the company culture at Genentech.
I have found it both challenging and uplifting. The work is fast-paced, and the scientists here are very much above average in their abilities. Sometimes it can be overwhelming, but the passion everyone has for their work is infectious, and it allows me to be passionate about what I am doing.

So far, what has been the highlight of your internship experience?
The variety of people that I have met is amazing. I have met people from Boston, Texas, Quebec, even Austria and Venezuela. The amount of scientific knowledge I am acquiring is incredible and very exciting. In addition to what I am learning in the lab, I have the opportunity to sit in on department meetings every Tuesday and view a presentation given by another lab in protein engineering. It's a great opportunity to get exposed to the other projects going on around you and get a sense of the big picture.